Clothing belt buckles

ABSTRACT

A belt buckle which comprises: a rectangular body having depending sides joined one to the other to form a recess for holding plastic or other creit cards, a strap attached to two opposite sides to retain credit cards in the recess, a recess in the upper depending side to facilitate removal of the credit cards, a hinged cover to complete the container, a strap joined to the rear of the body and adapted to secure one end of a clothing belt and a pin depending from the rear of the body and adapted to engage the other end of the belt.

United States Patent [191 Foster CLOTHING BELT BUCKLES Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John C. Albrecht [5 7] ABSTRACT A belt buckle which comprises: a rectangular body having depending sides joined one to the other to form a recess for holding plastic or other creit cards, a strap attached to two opposite sides to retain credit cards in the recess, a recess in the upper depending side to facilitate removal of the credit cards, a hinged cover to complete the container, a strap joined to the rear of the body and adapted to secure one end of a clothing belt and a pin depending from the rear of the body and adapted to engage the other end of the belt.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 23, i975 3,927,442

CLOTHING BELT BUCKLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved belt buckle which provides convenient and secure storage for credit cards on the person with easy access to the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is today a trend towards snug fitting trousers which give an uncomely appearance when the pockets thereof are filled with a variety of small items carried by a man or a woman. This problem is comparable to the problem which faced United States sailors of the past. Among the many items which are carried during leisure hours are credit cards which today are of a uniform size. Loss of a credit card is inconvenient and may be costly. This invention is intended to prove secure and convenient storage for credit cards without a concommitant uncomely appearance.

A number of belt buckles known in the prior art provide for the retention and display of items of personal identification and data, however, none of these priorly known devices is adapted to provide secure storage of credit cards while providing ready access thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a belt buckle comprises a recessed body for holding credit cards and the like, a strap covering a portion of the recess for retaining the credit cards, a recess in one edge of the body facilitating the insertion and removal of the credit cards, a hinged cover which is formed complementary to the body to close the recess in the body and present a decorative appearance and a strap and a pin depending from the body and adapted to engage the looped and loose ends of a belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is aperspective view showing a belt and my buckle assembly in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the belt and my buckle assembly in a closed position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the buckle assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIEMENT Referring now in greater detail to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1 there is shown a belt 11 of standard material and construction attached to the buckle assembly generally designated as 10. The buckle assembly is made of metal or the like and includes a rear body 13 and a cover 14 connected to the body by hinge 15. The body 13 is rectangular in shape and is propotioned to accomodate plastic or like credit cards. The body 13 is defined by the rear wall l3e and the four walls l3a,l3b,13c and 13d which depend from the rear wall l3e. The wall 13a through 13d are joined one to the other at the corners of the rectangle. The wall 13a which for purpose of illustration is termed the upper wall is provided with a recess which permits finger 2 access to credit cards retained in the body. This finger access facilitates the insertion and removal of credit cards 21. The side wall 13b provides a mounting surface for the hinge 15 which joins the body 13 to the cover 14 and the other sidewall 13d contains an indentation 16 which is adapted to engage a complementary portion of the cover 14. The rear wall l3e is convex to conform to the abdomen of the wearer of the belt. A

retaining bar 19 is joined to the side walls 13a and 13b and is adapted to cover a portion of the recess in the body and thereby serves to retain credit cards within the body when the cover 14 is in the open position.

The front cover 14 is formed complentary to the body 13 and is adapted to completely cover the body 13 as viewed from the front and sides. The cover 14 comprises the continuous side walls l4a,l4b,14c and 14d and the front wall 14e. As can be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, wall 14b is provided with the sleeves 15a which mate with the sleeves 15b to along with the hinge pin form the hinge 15. Wall 14d provides a flange 18 that is used to open the cover 14 and contains the detent 17 which is the mate for the indentation 16 in the body 13. The front wall Me is convex to match the shape of the wall l3e of the body 13. Any number of designs may be made on the front wall of the cover 14 to conform the appearance to the stlyes of the time and the taste of the wearer.

It can be seen in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 that the buckle assembly 10 is attached to the belt 11 through the means of the strap 22 and the pin 23. The strap 22 depends from the wall 132 of the body 13 and this strap is adapted to receive the looped end of the belt 1 l. The pin or hook 23 also depends from the wall 132 and it is adapted to engage a perforation 12 in the other end of the belt 11. The wearer passes the belt through the strap 22 between the looped end of the belt and the buckle assembly as shown in FIG. 3. After the belt has been pulled to a comfortable position the wearer engages the hook 23 with a perforation in the belt such as perforation 12.

What is claimed is:

1. A buckle for a belt comprising: a body comprising a rear wall surface, a plurality of side walls integrally formed with said rear wall and depending therefrom to form a receptacle for credit cards and the like, adjacent ends of said side walls joined one to the other to form a continuous wall for said receptacle, one of said side walls having at least one recess therein to expose a portion of the volume of the receptacle whereby credit cards and the like stored in said receptacle may be readily removed; a narrow strap joining two opposing ones of said depending side walls to partially enclose said receptacle and spaced apart from the remaining opposing walls, which remaining walls include said wall having at least one recess therein, whereby credit cards and the like are securely retained but easily removable from said receptacle; and a cover formed complementary to said body to fully cover said receptacle and said depending walls, hinge means connecting said body and said cover, a strap depending from said body and adapted to engage a looped end of a belt and a hook depending from said body and adapted to engage perforations in said belt. 

1. A buckle for a belt comprising: a body comprising a rear wall surface, a plurality of side walls integrally formed with said rear wall and depending therefrom to form a receptacle for credit cards and the like, adjacent ends of said side walls joined one to the other to form a continuous wall for said receptacle, one of said side walls having at least one recess therein to expose a portion of the volume of the receptacle whereby credit cards and the like stored in said receptacle may be readily removed; a narrow strap joining two opposing ones of said depending side walls to partially enclose said receptacle and spaced apart from the remaining opposing walls, which remaining walls include said wall having at least one recess therein, whereby credit cards and the like are securely retained but easily removable from said receptacle; and a cover formed complementary to said body to fully cover said receptacle and said depending walls, hinge means connecting said body and said cover, a strap depending from said body and adapted to engage a looped end of a belt and a hook depending from said body and adapted to engage perforations in said belt. 